


Another rather memorable Christmas party

by Pixie_Rose



Category: The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Christmas Party, Gen, Jem has an attack, Jem the violinist, London Institute
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-23
Updated: 2017-11-23
Packaged: 2019-02-05 22:48:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12804042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pixie_Rose/pseuds/Pixie_Rose
Summary: 24th December 1875, it the London Institutes annual Christmas Party.Jem and Will are there, Jem is talked into playing for the party goers and takes it too far.Panic and worry ensues as he has an attack, he is quickly rushed to his room to recover which signals the end of the party - well for him at least.





	Another rather memorable Christmas party

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mezzogal](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mezzogal/gifts).



Christmas Eve in the London Institute meant one thing and one thing only. The annual Christmas Party. The buzz around this event always started at the beginning of December when decorations started to be put up the staff were busier than ever. 

 

Will and Jem, inseparable as ever, had just finished training for the day and were walking down the halls of the institute heading to their rooms to wash up and change before lunch. Lunch on Christmas Eve was always light as Agatha was so busy preparing for the party that evening and the onslaught of Christmas Day Lunch the following day. 

“Hopefully it isn’t damned sandwiches again for lunch” Will turned to Jem, that had been the common ‘light’ lunch since Will had arrived at the Institute four years ago. 

Jem shook his head, he got where Will was coming from but did he really think they would get anything different? “Not likely.” He smiled, “but at least we still get to attend the party this year.” 

They had both been shocked when Charlotte had told them that they could come this year, it was their usual to sit and get glimpses of everyone before retreating off to one of their rooms and spending the night in each other's company. 

“Yes, that was a shock, to say the least after last year.” Will agreed, he was happier about that than he cared to let on. He didn’t want people thinking he was interested in spending time at a party with the people he cares about most. 

By this point they had arrived at their rooms, so each entered their rooms before heading down to lunch. 

 

Later that day, once the finishing touches had been made to the decorations, and the doors to the ballroom were now well and truly open and the ballroom itself looked like a winter wonderland they were all able to go back and get ready. Jem and Will had both been told they had to look smart — there was no fear of that, they weren’t going to spoil this night, they were going to make the most of it. 

 

Once most of the other guests had arrived Will headed back down, he was never one who was enthralled to greet people, Charlotte was great at that, as was Jem; which was why they were on greeting duty leaving Will and Henry to come down when they wanted to. Will was astounded to see all the people there, it had never seemed that busy from looking on in the past years, but maybe that was because they were all in one room — yes it was a fairly large room, but he had normally seen them just arriving never in a condensed group like this. He walked around the room, he was hunting for Jem and just trying to see who he knew out of everyone. 

 

“Oh look who it is. Don’t you scrub up well?” Will’s heart sank when he heard the voice. Really the Lightwoods? Just as he thought he was going to enjoy this party. He turned around, finding himself nearly nose-to-nose with Gabriel Lightwood. He’d briefly seen him in passing and knew that he was the middle Lightwood. 

“Yeah, shame not everyone does” Will quipped back, as much vehemence in his voice that he could muster. He had no time for the Lightwoods… well, not this Lightwood anyway. 

“Still have no idea what my sister sees in you.” Gabriel mused aloud, stepping back and looking Will up and down. “Still scrawny-looking… are you sure you aren’t just a mundane trying to be a Shadowhunter?” 

“So she still likes me?” Will questioned, with a wicked gleam in his eye.

“Yes,” Gabriel grabbed hold of his jacket. “Despite what you did last year if I had my way there wouldn’t be a you for her to like.” He threatened, his face turning as red as the decorations surrounding them. 

Before will could manage to get any response out or to even shove Gabriel off him the pair were flanked by Gideon, the eldest and much calmer Lightwood son, and Jem. “Come on now. Cut it out.” Jem said, as Gideon pulled his brother off of Will and dragged him away. 

“Anyone would think you don’t want Charlotte to let you come to these anymore.” Jem hissed at Will. 

“I’d be fine, so long as he” nodding towards the direction that Gabriel had been dragged off “wasn’t here.” 

“The way you pair are going neither of you will be allowed back here next year.” Jem shook his head, exasperated at Will, a normal feeling for him. “How about we go get something to eat?” 

Will nodded, that idea sounded appealing to him. He hadn’t realised how famished he was until the word food was mentioned. They went to the tables on which the best of Agatha’s food was piled. Sausage rolls, Baked Hams, Bread, Cheese, and to Will’s annoyance more sandwiches. He grabbed two plates, one for himself and one for Jem, he started piling his plate with everything but the blasted sandwiches as soon as he had a free hand. They then went to find a free spot to sit at, somewhere out the way and out of sight. Which in such a crowded place wasn’t so hard to do. 

Jem ate much slower than Will, savouring what he was eating rather than just trying to eat as much; he was also humming along to the music that someone was playing on the piano. “I do wish I could be playing.” He mused, quietly enough that he thought it was just to himself. 

“Why didn’t you ask Charlotte?” Will asked, everyone in the institute loved to hear him play, Jem was beyond skilled on the violin, something Will still marvelled at, having no musical talent whatsoever of his own. In complete honesty, he had never really enjoyed listening to music either, though he will never forget the first time he heard Jem playing. 

“No, I hadn’t thought about asking really.” Jem said, kicking himself for not thinking about it before. “I should think it is too late now.”

Little did either of the boys know, but they were being overheard, by Callida Fairchild _ , an _ adult Shadowhunter who happens to be part of the London Enclave. They both jump when she pipes up “Are you the one who we always used to hear playing in the background of these parties?” She was looking at Jem hopefully. 

“Yes,” Jem says, looking back at her. “I used to play when we weren’t allowed to attend the parties.”

“Your playing is so lovely. You simply must play.” She said, not asking but telling him. “Go and get your violin, I shall clear it with Charlotte.” She stalked off, in search of her niece leaving Will and Jem sat there in stunned silence. 

“Well, you better go get it.” Will said to Jem, “that woman is a battle-axe and now she has that set in her mind she won’t be happy if you don’t play.” 

“And I doubt she will let Charlotte say no to her request either?” Jem asked, not needing the answer. He got up and headed out to his room to get his violin. 

 

As much as Jem missed playing, he wasn’t wholly sure that he was up to playing for everyone, not tonight. He was over tired, and feeling the effects of not having much yin fen today; not that he wanted any now if he was about to play in front of everyone. He walked as quickly through the halls as he could, picked up his violin case, his sheet music and his bow and headed back to the ballroom. 

As he entered the packed ballroom it was as though the room was spinning, so he sat down on the first available seat while the feeling passed. Before he had chance to feel fully better, or as well as he could without resorting to yin fen he was approached by a familiar looking woman with Charlotte trailing in her wake looking positively scared. It was hard to believe that these two women were related. 

“There you are boy.” Callida said stopping in front of him. “Charlotte said she would love you to play, didn’t you love?” 

Charlotte nods, the look in her eyes shows the worry that she has for Jem, but she dare not voice that, not to the formidable woman in front of her. Callida, happy that she has got her own way stalks off back into the midst of the party. “Are you sure you are feeling up to this?” Charlotte asks Jem, so only he can hear.

“Yes, a couple of songs and I will stop.” He smiles at her, hoping to defuse her worry. 

 

Charlotte walked over to the pianist briefly whispered into their ear, and they nodded. She returned and said, your turn once this song is over, she smiled at him as she rested a hand on his shoulder. “If you need to stop at any point just do so?” She begged him as the music came to a stop. 

Jem nodded, before going to the piano and resting his music on the top. He smiled over at Will who has made a point of coming nearer to the piano, which sets Jem’s worries aside. At least having Will there means that if something goes wrong there is someone who can sort it out. 

Smiling as he touched his bow to the strings of his violin, Jem started filling the ballroom with the beautiful music that everyone had always heard in the background in previous years. As he played couples began dancing, Will stood stoically beside Jem, turning the pages when it was needed, not that Jem was using the music, he knew these songs off by heart, the music was only ever there if his mind went blank, and he forgot what he was playing. As he finished the first piece there was a smattering of applause by the party-goers, Jem bowed his head in thanks before moving onto another piece. 

He kept up, for what must have been nearly two hours. Will was beginning to worry, Jem had never played for this long. Jem also hadn’t had any yin fen since that morning. Which meant he was bound to be getting tired. “Jem,” he whispered, feeling bad for interrupting, but needing to check. “How are you feeling?” 

Jem opened his eyes and looked over at Will. As soon as he did Will could see the answer for himself before Jem even needed to respond. 

“Maybe you should stop?” Will suggested. The last thing any of them needed was something to happen to him whilst he was playing. Jem’s issues with yin fen wasn’t public knowledge. 

Jem just shook his head to Will. He was in the middle of a piece he wasn’t stopping now; not until he was done. 

“Fine.” Will snapped. “Finish it first. You are stopping though. By the Angel I  _ will _ get Charlotte to make you stop if needs be.” 

 

Jem was very near the end, when the worst happened. He began coughing, or having one of his attacks, just what Will was worried about. Will immediately went to Jem, taking his violin off of him, and catching Jem under his arms and gently settling him into the nearest seat. Party-goers were fussing; “can I do anything?” “What is wrong with him?” “Was he playing too long?” were questions that were being put about behind Will, who was focused solely on Jem. “If you want to do anything then go get Charlotte and stop crowding us.” Will snapped, taking his eyes off of Jem for one second before looking at the women who were milling about and crowding them. 

 

A moment later Charlotte was beside Will. “Let’s get him to his room.” Charlotte said. “Away from the prying eyes.” 

Will nodded, annoyed that he wasn’t firmer with Jem when he knew he needed to stop. “On three?”

When he got to three the pair of them lifted Jem, Charlotte got him under the arms and Will had his legs. It was quicker than getting him to walk with their help. 

Once they were safely inside Jem’s room they put him on his bed, gently. Will went to shut the door, and pulled the chair up to beside his bed. Charlotte went to the adjoining bathroom to get some water and a flannel, knowing that Jem will start burning up soon. Jem’s coughs were getting worse, he was beginning to look more pale than usual and had a gleam of sweat covering his brow. This was worse than his normal attacks. Charlotte handed the water and cloth to Will, “get rid of that sweat, it won’t do him any good.” She said, as she got the box where Jem’s yin fen was kept, and she mixed some with a glass of water that was on his bedside table.  

Once it was all mixed in, she turned to Will. “Can you sit him up please?” 

Will gently sat the other boy up, leaning him back against his headboard, as Charlotte came and sat on the bed beside him. “Here you are Jem,” she raised the glass to his lips, thankfully for a break in the coughing. “Drink this, it will help.” 

Jem slowly drank the water and yin fen mixture. Once he did he gained a little colour back in his cheeks, and his coughing subsided. He looked at the worried faces before him, turning to Will he said, “you were probably right, I should have stopped.” 

Will knew he was right, but his friend was ill, and even now he was still recovering. Now was not the time for an ‘I told you so,’ instead Will just shrugged. “It’s okay. I know what you’re like.” 

A small smile flashed momentarily across Jem’s face, falling away as he turned to Charlotte. “I am sorry, I hope I haven’t ruined the party. Shouldn’t you be getting back to it?” He turned to Will adding “both of you.”

Charlotte nodded, “yes I should. Are you going to be alright though?” She asked, worry still clearly plain on his face. She was berating herself for agreeing to him playing, unfortunately her Aunt was not someone that you should ever say no to. She learnt that the hard way. 

“I will be fine, I am just going to sleep.” Jem replied. Which had both Will and Charlotte smiling, it was the easiest way for him to recover from an attack. 

“I’ll stay here till he’s settled.” Will said to Charlotte. “You go ad head back to the party.” 

“As long as you are sure?” She questioned them both. Receiving nodding heads from each of the boys. 

She gently got to her feet and left, closing the door quietly behind her. 

Once the door was shut Will turned to Jem. “What made you carry on?” there was no harshness to his voice, it was clear that Will was still worried, and hurt, by Jem’s choices. “You could have hurt yourself! Done yourself some damage Jem!” 

“I know,” Jem was sorry. “I’m sorry.” 

“Okay, anyway sleep now. I’ll go get your violin and bring it back up here for you.” Will smiled tapping Jem on the arm as he got up. 

“Thank you,” Jem said, as he closed his eyes. 

 

With that it was the end of another rather memorable Christmas party for Will and Jem. 


End file.
